KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Director General of Residency Affairs Department in the Interior Ministry Major General Talal Al-Ma’arafi has given additional powers to directors of departments and heads of citizen service centers in governorates, reports Arab Times daily quoting sources.Sources disclosed that the new powers of the abovementioned officials include approval of family visit applications for wife and children provided the salary of the husband is not less than KD 200, as well as visit visa applications for the father, mother and siblings on the condition that salary of the applicant is not less than KD 500.Sources said the heads of public services sections have been given authority to approve commercial visit visa applications for Europeans and citizens of 52 countries that are allowed to obtain visa upon arrival, while such power lies in the hands of department directors and their deputies for citizens of other countries.Sources revealed Al-Ma’arafi recently met directors of residency affairs departments in governorates, during which he granted heads of citizen service centers the authority to sign visit visa applications for Kuwaiti sponsors if the visitors are first and second-degree relatives of sponsors.For other relatives, such authority is in the hands of directors or their deputies.Sources added there will be security scrutiny for those of Syrian origin who hold Sudanese passports, and it is allowed to transfer children’s residency to the mother as sponsor in case the father is in jail or dead provided all the requirements are fulfilled.